Chiropractic Treats Many Conditions in a Safe, Natural Way

It may surprise you to know that many of the conditions medical doctors and other health care practitioners treat are also treated by chiropractors, who approach healing without drugs or surgery. That’s because a lot of conditions are actually triggered by interference to vital nerves — a situation that frequently occurs when the spine through which those nerves travel has become misaligned. Misalignment can occur after an accident or a sports injury. But it often develops over time as well, eventually showing up in back aches, headaches, high blood pressure, and even osteoarthritis.

Chiropractors are thoroughly trained to identify areas of nervous system compromise in the spine, then treat those areas with specific adjustments that restore alignment, therefore taking the pressure off irritated nerves. They also use therapies such as massage and ultrasound to relax muscles and improve blood circulation in painful areas.

The principles of chiropractic are so sound that chiropractic treatment is effective and safe even for pregnant women and children.

At Parkland Chiropractic we treat a wide variety of people, from infants to seniors — and everyone in between. Here’s a list of just some of the conditions for which we’re confident we can help you and your family:

Allergies

Allergies are believed to develop from a hypersensitive immune system responding to substances in the environment, which may include dust, pollen, cat or dog dander, milk and more. And, because the nervous system seems to be the controlling factor for the immune system, chiropractors can help alleviate many allergies by relieving pressure on the nervous system. When pressure is reduced, it functions with less stress, thus allowing the immune system to perform more effectively.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition in which inflammation causes pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints. There are many forms of arthritis, the most common form being osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis typically develops subtly over a long period of time from the wear and tear of life, becoming more pronounced and painful in later years. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the cell lining inside joints. Both forms of arthritis cause loss of function in the joints.

Altogether, the various forms of arthritis represent the primary cause of disability in the United States, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, in most cases chiropractic procedures can diminish the pain of arthritis by freeing up locked arthritic joints, thus restoring integrity to the nervous system.

Asthma

Asthma is a respiratory condition marked by spasms in the bronchi of the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. More specifically, the nerves that exit between the bones of the spine become irritated when normal spinal movement is lost. These nerves travel to and affect every cell of the body, including the lungs. Chiropractors work to reduce the irritation so that the nerves function properly and give the lungs the proper messages being sent from the brain.

Chiropractic treatment and nutritional counseling can be a more natural approach to reducing the symptoms and frequency of asthma attacks. Children are often good candidates for chiropractic treatment of chronic asthma, which can help ween them from medications that sometimes create undesirable side effects.

Attention Deficit Disorder & Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADD/ADHD)

Every body function is controlled by the brain sending and receiving messages by the nerves. When the bones of the spine become misaligned and are not able to move in their normal pattern, the nerves that exit between those bones are affected. The communication system of the body is altered or disrupted. These disturbances can be very irritating.

Symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder include lack of concentration, short attention span, impulsiveness, fidgeting, low tolerance, and poor social interaction. Since every child or adult has different symptoms and a separate medical history, an individualized program must be created.

Back Pain

Most people experience some kind of back pain in their lives, with studies showing low back pain to be the most common. Back pain can spring from sudden injuries, or develop over time. No matter the cause, the source of the pain is generally traced to a misaligned spine or pressure on nerves from soft material that cushions spinal discs and has become compromised.

In years past, people often turned to anti-inflammatory medications or even surgery to cope with back pain. However, current studies have shown that except in extreme cases, surgery in particular should be a last option. Indeed, after careful evaluation chiropractors in most situations can significantly reduce or even eliminate back pain through a treatment plan that typically involves spinal adjustments and other therapies, such as massage, ultrasound and electric nerve stimulation. Specialized back exercises and stretching programs are frequently used in the treatment program as well.

Bursitis

Small, repetitive activities can give rise to bursitis, a condition in which swelling and irritation inflame a person’s shoulder, elbow, hip, knee or ankle areas. The culprit is the “bursa,” a small sac filled with fluid that in a healthy state allows tendons to slide smoothly over bone. When inflamed, however, pain and stiffness are usually the result.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is an injury caused by a pinched nerve in the wrist, resulting in pain and numbness in the index and middle fingers and weakness of the thumb. The carpal tunnel receives its name from the eight bones in the wrist, called carpals, which form a "tunnel" through which the nerve leading to the hand extends. There are several treatment options for carpal tunnel syndrome, including chiropractic treatment that aims to reduce pain and strengthen range of motion through gentle manipulation.

Disc Injuries

Disc problems can occur in a variety of forms, including those known as “bulging disc,” “slipped disc,” and “herniated disc.” They often develop because the jelly-like material that serves to cushion discs in the spine has become compressed, pushing out and affecting nearby nerves. Poor body mechanics, lifting, sports injuries . . . all can contribute to disc injuries. Chiropractors evaluate and analyze the problem, and depending on the circumstances, may even request an MRI or other imaging study of the back before undertaking corrective action. In situations where chiropractic care is an optimal choice, chiropractors provide gentle manipulations and other therapies to restore proper motion and reduce nervous system involvement. Specialized spinal exercises and stretching programs will likely be integrated into the overall treatment program as well.

Headaches

Headaches can develop for a variety of reasons, but a frequent cause is from spinal bones in the neck that simply aren’t supporting your head properly. When those bones are out of alignment, they can affect nerves, muscles, and even the blood supply to your head. Chiropractors are trained to evaluate the source of many headaches by locating those improperly moving bones and then making corrections through specific adjustments. Not everyone is a candidate for chiropractic strategies; thorough evaluation is always required. However, chiropractors in many cases successfully treat sinus, migraine or tension headaches. And, in keeping with chiropractic principles, those treatments don’t involve medications or invasive techniques. People who are not good candidates are generally referred to specialists who may be able to help.

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Studies show that high blood pressure is on the rise in Americans, with as many as one in four adults affected. It is often a symptomless but dangerous condition when left untreated, because it increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Many people are treated with drugs for high blood pressure. But even when medication is part of their regimen, studies indicate that a multidisciplined approach including chiropractic spinal manipulation can contribute to an even greater reduction in high blood pressure.

Neck Pain

Your neck supports a 10- to 12-pound head and encases the most vulnerable part of your spine. Given those facts, it’s no wonder that neck pain afflicts so many people. Causes for neck pain are typically brought about by everyday activities, such as watching TV, reading a book, stress, or even falling asleep on a chair or airplane. Sometimes, the pain can be resolved on its own merely be discontinuing the activity that prompted it. But other times, neck pain is caused by distortions in the spine resulting from subluxations — the chiropractic term for conditions in which spinal bones don’t move properly and subsequently press against adjacent nerve tissue. For patients who have been evaluated and are deemed good candidates for chiropractic treatment, X-rays or other types of diagnostic images are generally taken to help pinpoint the troubled area. Afterward, specific adjustments are employed, sometimes along with other techniques such as massage therapy.

Rotator Cuff Injury

Problems in the shoulder often originate in the cervical portion of the spine when imbalances and irritation occur to nerves and their surrounding muscles. Pain and restricted range of motion follow. Soft tissue massage to loosen affected muscles and corrective adjustments are generally part of a chiropractic approach to easing patients from pain. Stretching and strengthening programs are also prescribed at the appropriate time in order to stabilize the affected area and prevent recurrence.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, can often be detected by comparing shoulder and hip heights. The cause varies, and it is most often seen in girls between the ages of 8 and 18. Some people are born with the condition. Others develop it over time, often from habitually poor head or hip positioning. Scoliosis can be quite painful and in severe cases may indeed require surgery. But when detected early enough, chiropractors can develop a program of specific adjustments that help improve the function and structure of the spine. Muscles strengthen and posture improves, together allowing scoliosis patients to lead normal lives.

Shoulder Pain

Shoulder problems develop in a variety of ways, including not just sudden movements associated with sports, for example, but those associated with carrying weight too long or simply lifting something too heavy. Either way, many shoulder problems originate in the area where the nerves branch from the spinal cord and exit the neck. Symptoms can vary. Reactions to shoulder problems may be relatively mild, but in more severe cases are accompanied by pain radiating down the arm or by weakness, numbness, or tingling in the wrists or hands. A severe inflammatory condition known as “frozen shoulder” can be especially painful, but chiropractors are trained to diagnose and treat the involved area, often relieving trigger points between the spine and shoulder with specific manipulations. As part of an overall treatment plan they frequently include massage therapy and develop an exercise program to help patients strengthen weakened areas.

Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder

People who suffer from TMJ know full well the pain and stiffness of a “locked jaw.” The causes include injury, stress, poor posture, teeth grinding, and more. Chiropractors work to restore proper nervous system control of the muscles and ligaments involved through specific adjustments and other therapies. Specific exercises and stretches are often included as well.

Tennis Elbow

Despite its descriptive name, tennis elbow — a general term for lateral elbow pain — is not restricted to people who play tennis. Indeed, tennis elbow is most often a repetitive stress injury that occurs under a variety of circumstances when muscles and tendons in the elbow area are torn or damaged. It can even happen as a result of heavy computer work using improper wrist and arm posture. (The condition is called “Golfer’s Elbow” if it arises from the medial side of the elbow.) Tennis elbow typically results in painful inflammation, sometimes making it hard to even lift a coffee cup. Chiropractic adjustments have proven effective in minimizing tennis elbow as part of the overall management of the condition. As is true of most chiropractic measures, the chiropractor’s goal is to restore proper motion of spinal bones that have become misaligned.

Whiplash

Whiplash usually begins when your vehicle is abruptly rear-ended by another vehicle. Your head is whipped back and forth in mere seconds, but astonishingly, it might actually be months later before serious pain erupts. That’s one reason it’s a good idea to get a chiropractic consultation even when you might feel only minor stiffness, or even nothing at all. The reality is that your spinal curve may have been shoved out of line. Muscles or ligaments may have been torn. But when caught early enough, those injuries can be treated before they balloon into serious problems.

---

[Home]    [About Chiropractic]    [Our Services]    [About Us]    [FAQ]    [Links]